How to Shop for a Second Hand Wedding Dress?
Second-hand wedding dress shopping can be very rewarding as used wedding dresses are just as beautiful and perfect as their new counterparts. Shopping for a used wedding dress can be considerably more budget friendly but often you can also find past styles that you couldn’t get anymore from your basic wedding dress boutique. You might have heard that you have to pay special attention for many things when you are looking for a used gown. So how to shop for a second hand wedding dress? Keep reading and learn the 4 points I swear by.
So how to shop for a second hand wedding dress?
There are many reasons why brides decide on a second hand wedding dress. Maybe you want to find a style that’s not available anymore, to save money, to be more ecological or to use a dress that has been used by a family member or friend as a sentiment towards that person. There are many tales about a bride who walked to a boutique and found her dream dress but we love to read when brides share their stories about second hand gowns.
For the most parts there’s not that much difference when it comes to new or used wedding dresses, but some things are good to know as you might not have a sale-assistants or a designers helping you with shopping. These things are:
1. time it takes to find the dress,
2. the dress size,
3. things to look out for and
4. the fit of the dress.
Let’s dig deeper and learn to shop for a second hand wedding dress.
1. Start your dress search early
When you buy a new wedding dress you can just check which stores carry the brands you like and then go to try on the dresses.
It is different with second hand dresses.
You can’t be sure when you’ll find the dress you love in the right size so start the search early enough. Sometimes you can find one right away, sometimes finding the right dress can take a year or so. It depends on what kind of style you’re looking for and what sizes are available.
If you have a very clear picture about the dress you want or you want one from a certain designer, the more time you need.
Places to search for a second-hand wedding dress:
- Second-hand wedding dress boutiques
- Websites for selling and buying wedding dresses
- Facebook groups
- Craigslist
- Second-hand and vintage stores
- Wedding fair events for selling and buying second-hand dresses
2. Know our own dress size – Get measured
Knowing your own size and measurements is absolutely essential for finding a dress that fits you well because you might not have a sales assistant to help you out. Your basic jersey shirt S/M/L -sizes are not cutting it in this case. Get yourself properly measured by a friend, family member, at a clothing store, or by a seamstress.
The important measurements are your bust, waist and the widest part of your hips.
You can try to take these measurements by yourself, but make sure that the measuring tape is straight and does not tip up or down. If you wish to wear the dress with high heels then wear those while taking the measurements. If possible, ask someone to assist you with measuring.
Knowing your measurements makes buying a dress much easier – even if you are buying from internet.
Basic measurements to use while shopping for a second-hand wedding dress
1. Bust
Measure on the largest part of your bust and make sure the measuring tape is is straight.
2. Waist
Measure the narrowest part of the waist.
3. Hips
Measure the widest part of your hips
4. Height
Your height.
5. Hem length (front)
Stand straight, place the end of the measuring tape (where 0 is) on your waist. Ask a helper to read the measurement that hits the ground. Don’t bend because that will affect the measurement.
3. Always aim to see the dress live before buying it
Seeing the dress with your own eyes is important to spot all the small things that are easy to overlook at pictures. This way you will also see the color and tone of the dress, and feel the fabric. Hopefully you’ll also have a chance to try the dress on to see how it fits on you.
If you have can’t to see the dress live ask if you can return the gown in case the fit is absolutely wrong. If you can’t return the dress, try to get as much info and pictures as possible before you decide on buying.
TIP:
To see the color live you can also ask if the seller has any extra fabric available to send you by mail. You can also ask for a picture of the dress taken next to basic white printer paper to see how creamy or bright white the wedding dress is.
Things to look out on second-hand dresses:
Dirt or stains
The length of the hem
Possible rips
Odours and scents
Has the dress been altered? How?
Designer and style name/number
4. Check the fit
The most important things you should look out for when trying on any dress is the fit. Pay attention on how the dress fits on your bust and hips, as they are most likely the widest parts. If the wedding dress has sleeves, then the shoulders and back are the most important when it comes to fit.
Usually it’s easier to take a dress in than it’s to let out. If you have to choose, rather take a size bigger than a size smaller. If the dress seems to raise up around your hips (fabric makes horizontal stripes), the hip is bit too tight for you. Check the inside seems in case there’s extra to let the dress out for you.
Most dresses can be fixed when it comes to fit, but the safest bet is to not go over one size up or down. Learn more about most common wedding dress alterations.
Here you go! Hopefully these second hand wedding dress shopping tips will help to find your dream dress from all the awesome used wedding dresses out there. To get more great wedding dress tips read Thorough Guide for Wedding Dress Shopping and 4 Wedding Dress Tips to Take Your Wedding Day Look From Good to Gorgeous!
P.S Did you notice the free wedding outfit planner? It has checklists, tips, fillable vendor info pages and budget sheets for you to manage every aspect of your wedding day look like a styling pro. Go and get it! I promise it’ll be very helpful while juggling all the hairstylist and dress fitting dates. <3
Follow us on Instagram and Pinterest for more wedding inspiration! You can also find Heili Bridal from Facebook and Tumblr.
Pin it for later!
Love,
Iida
Iida Silvennoinen
Designer, author, blogger
Iida is a bridal designer at Heili Bridal and her passion is to help brides feel special in their big day. She grew up in the middle of wedding dresses and has been dressing brides in all shapes and sizes for years. She loves gardening and relaxed evenings at home.
Iida Silvennoinen is the author of The Wedding Dress Book in which she walks the bride through the wedding dress searching and shopping.
START THE JOURNEY TOWARDS THE PERFECT WEDDING DRESS!
The only wedding dress guide you need is here.